England deny Games withdrawal fears

ENGLAND'S Commonwealth Games officials insist they have received no security warnings to indicate the team must withdraw from the New Delhi event next year.
England general team manager Ann Hogbin issued a strong denial of a front page report in Wednesday's edition of the Daily Telegraph that claimed there was ``virtually no chance'' a team would be sent.

An online version of the report quoted unnamed political sources as saying that the formal pullout would be announced in the new year because safety there could not be guaranteed.

``That is definitely not the case. Our current and strong intention is to field a team for the games in Delhi next year,'' Hogbin said in a statement to The Associated Press. ``Of course, we have a duty of care to the athletes and other team members which we take very seriously.

``Despite having been given extensive briefings from relevant authorities, we have not received any indication that we should not participate in the games and we will continue to work hard to put in place the best possible arrangements for our team.''

Britain's Foreign Office told the AP that it has ``not advised any of the British teams not to participate in the Commonwealth Games.''

``We are aware that the Commonwealth Games Federation had some concerns about preparations for the games,'' the statement added. ``We continue to work closely with the Indian authorities who are doing everything they can to ensure a safe and secure games.''

The Telegraph claimed that Paul Stephenson, commissioner of London's Metropolitan Police, voiced ``serious concerns'' about security arrangements in New Delhi following a visit this month.

Security at the Oct. 3-14 event has been under scrutiny since last year's terrorist strikes in Mumbai and the March attack on Sri Lanka's cricket team in neighboring Pakistan.

Safety concerns and lax security were cited this year when England's badminton team pulled out of the world championships in Hyderabad, and Australia refused to play a Davis Cup match in Chennai.

The Commonwealth Games are set to be the biggest multiple-sport event staged in India since the 1982 Asian Games.

Organizers are expecting nearly 8,000 athletes and officials from 71 nations and territories, along with nearly 30 heads of states.

This year, India's Home Secretary Gopal Krishna Pillai said he was not aware of security threats to the games, and added that no special security measures will be undertaken for athletes from specific countries.